You can breathe new life into all manner of old things you have lying around the house, and Handimania shows how you can transform an unused metal colander into a pendant lamp.

Old is the new new... or something like that. This is a fairly simple project that requires few tools, but does need a little time. Use a drill to create or enlarge a hole in the bottom of the colander, and feed the lighting fitting through it. You can then hang the whole thing from a hook in the ceiling and connect the wiring to the lighting circuit—don't forget to turn off the power, or consider calling in an electrician.

As well as looking a little quirky, the colander shade will also cast atmospheric shadows across the walls and ceiling when the light is on.

Click through to Apartment Therapy for some more idea about how you can make use of old kitchen gadgets.